FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPECIALIST

Full Job Description

Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below to view Eligibilities being considered and other IMPORTANT information.

Conditions Of Employment: (cont'd) This position is designated as a key position IAW AFI 36-507. Duties of this position are essential to the accomplishment of wartime/contingency operations.

Incumbents of key positions must be removed from their military recall status if alternative for filling of the position during an emergency are not available.

This is a Term position NTE 13 MONTH; the individual selected for this position may be extended without further competition.

Current Federal civilian employees may apply for this position using "Reinstatement" eligibility and if selected, a break in service of at least 4 calendar days may be required prior to appointment to this position.

In order to qualify, you must meet the specialized experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Professional and Scientific Positions, Foreign Affairs Series, 0130.

BASIC REQUIREMENT OR INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT: Degree: major or equivalent, or a combination of courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, in international law and international relations, political science, economics, history, sociology, geography, social or cultural anthropology, law, statistics, or in the humanities; or 12 semester hours in one of the above disciplines and 12 semester hours in statistics/quantitative methods.

OR Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

OR Experience: four years of appropriate experience in one or more of the fields listed above in work associated with international organizations, problems, or other aspects of foreign affairs.

For positions at grades GS-12 and above, this experience must have included either (a) responsibility for the direction and coordination of research, analysis, or other professional work in one or more of the fields listed in A above, or (b) specialized professional work of a high level of difficulty and responsibility in one or more of these fields.

This high level experience must have been in such specialized activities as (1) formulation of instructions and policy guidance for United States representatives in international organizations; (2) transport and communication involving knowledge of economic, political, and technical aspects of international aviation, shipping, inland transport, or radio, telephone, and telegraph, etc.; (3) cultural affairs involving formulation and operation of policy on large-scale international cultural exchange programs; (4) occupied area affairs involving problems of occupation of conquered or liberated countries, regions, or zones; or (5) other specialized international affairs such as analyzing public opinion and attitudes, evaluating specific conditions, trends, or forces in a foreign country, formulating policy on problems of petroleum resources or fisheries, etc., representing foreign interests, protecting American property or interests, arranging for conferences, or similar activities.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-11, or equivalent in other pay systems.

Examples of specialized experience includes Knowledge and skills sufficient to perform a wide range of responsibilities and duties, evaluate and present divergent professional opinions affecting significant public policy issues and define and describe feasible options, including the consequences of their adoption; Knowledge of the significant security cooperation initiative design, staffing, and approval processes, as well as knowledge of the SSCI program management process; Knowledge of the Assessments, Monitoring & Evaluation process as it relates to the SSCI; Knowledge of political science and understanding of international relations to develop and devise strategies, plans and methods that integrate Air Force Security Assistance Center, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Air Combat Command, USSOUTHCOM, and AFSOUTH policies, interagency policies and international partner's policies and strategic guidance to support the AFSOUTH mission.

FEDERAL TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE (GS) POSITIONS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in­-grade requirements to be considered eligible.

One year at the GS-11 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-12 level. TIG applies if you are in a current GS position or held a GS position within the previous 52 weeks.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: 1.

Knowledge of a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative methods for the assessment and improvement of command level plans and programs for conducting major operations such as rescue, mission and flight operations, tactical airlift, deployment, mobilization, exercise, flying training systems both manned and unmanned, rescue, foreign military sales, PPBS, acquisition, special operations, or similar operations.

2.

Knowledge of DoD Security Cooperation programs, authorities, and implementation mechanisms, as well as the sequence and timing of key events and milestones, and methods of evaluating the effectiveness of planning actions related to actual events; and the relationship of the various entities involved in overall program planning and execution of security cooperation operations and evaluations.

3.

Knowledge of military command structure, missions, programs, and organizational relationships and program goals and objectives, the sequence and timing of key operational events and milestones, and methods of evaluating the effectiveness of planning actions as related to actual events.

4. Knowledge of the various command entities involved in overall planning and execution of operations and evaluations. 5.

Skill in designing and conducting comprehensive studies; and preparing solutions to especially broad, important, and severe military operational and contingency areas.

Ability to plan, organize, and influence others in studies or projects and to negotiate effectively with management to accept and implement recommendations, where proposals involve substantial resources, and require extensive changes in established concepts and procedures.

6. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing; negotiate complex issues; and maintain good working relationships.

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work.

You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Major Duties:

The primary purpose of this position is: To serve as Foreign Affairs Specialist for the Component MAJCOM to Geographic Combatant Command (GCC) United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) Area of Responsibility (AOR).

The AOR is designated as Central America, South America and the Caribbean; 31 countries and 10 territories.

Advise, analyzes, program, develops and evaluates issues, and provides recommendations to resolve substantive problems and issues of effectiveness and efficiency of work operations in a C-MAJCOM program.

Duties Serves as AFSOUTH Significant Security Cooperation initiative (SSCI) Program Manager Lead Integration Analyst for stakeholder Integration into TSC Planning Process Security Force Assistance and Air Advisor Program Coordinator.

Documents planning and programming decisions in appropriate formats to meet C-MAJCOM, COCOM, and Air Force requirements. Serves as Foreign Disclosure Officer for AFSOUTH Staff.

Serves as Security Cooperation Workforce Development Training Manager for the AFSOUTH A5 Division.